What is the AC Compressor all about? An AC system has many components: compressor, condenser, receiver dryer, evaporator, and hoses. The compressor, the “heart” of the car’s air conditioning system works like a pump taking refrigerant, ( R-12 Freon in older cars, R-134a in 1995 and newer cars) and pressurizing it, passing it along to the evaporator. The AC compressor has several moving parts (including pistons and valves). These internal parts can fail, causing the AC compressor to stop working. It is common for the internal parts of the compressor to come apart and disperse metallic debris throughout the system. Consequently, it is a requirement to replace the orifice tube and the receiver dryer when replacing the compressor since some of the debris may have ended up there. For an AC compressor to work, it needs a clutch, bearing, and an electrical connector. The clutch is driven by a drive/serpentine belt, which engages the compressor when you switch on the AC. The clutch can burn or the bearing can fail.

If the bearing or clutch have failed, it is recommended that the compressor be replaced. Sometimes replacing the entire compressor with a remanufactured one can be cheaper than replacing an individual clutch or bearings. It is also common for the seals in the AC compressor to go bad. The compressor may start leaking refrigerant and/or the AC oil. If the seals no longer hold, you will need a new compressor, as the seals cannot be replaced. A compressor may also fail if there is sludge or debris in the air conditioning system. If there is sludge or debris, the hoses, evaporator, and condenser should be flushed to get rid of the contaminants. When it is not possible to flush the parts, you may need to replace those parts. This service comes with receiver dryer and orifice tube. It is very common for metals from the compressors to go throughout the system and get caught in different components. If the compressor is replaced without the dryer and the orifice tube, it will ruin the new compressor and it will not be covered by the warranty from parts manufacturers.

Check for pressure in the AC system. Check for power and ground at the compressor. If compressor is found to be faulty, remove all of the refrigerant. Remove the compressor, receiver drier, orifice tube, and/or expansion valve. Flush all foreign materials from the AC System. Install new compressor, receiver drier, and orifice tube. Evacuate and recharge the AC system. Check for proper operation of AC system. The most common reason for an AC compressor to fail is leaky seals and inadequate lubrication. It is good practice to turn the AC on periodically so that the seals don’t dry up and stay lubricated. If you notice a change in the temperature of the air through the AC vents (not as cold as it should be), get it inspected. What common symptoms indicate you may need to replace the AC Compressor? No cold air from the vents. Clicking sound from under the engine.In these cases, when the AC system fails, you will not only NOT get any cold air, but the entire temperature regulation is thrown off.

At the heart of the air conditioning unit of a car is the compressor that pressurizes the refrigerant and pumps it through the A/C system. It derives its power directly from the engine flywheel and, in a similar way to the drive chain of the car, a clutch controls its operation. These two parts are the hardest working components in a vehicle's A/C system, and maintaining them in good working order is essential to its efficiency.air conditioning unit for desk Principles of Automotive Air Conditioningair handling unit from carrier Car air conditioners work on a simple principle of heat transfer, relying on the fact that heat will always transfer from a warmer to a cooler substance. air conditioning unit without exhaust

The A/C uses a compressor to turn a refrigerant gas, usually Freon, into a liquid concentrating its heat. In this state, it passes through conductive pipes in a condenser to dissipate the accumulated heat. As the liquid leaves the condenser and returns to its natural gaseous state it becomes very cold. The A/C system pumps this cooled refrigerant through a series of very thin tubes while blowing warm air over them to cool it before it enters the cabin of the vehicle. The heat from the air is absorbed through the tubes by the Freon gas, which returns to the compressor to begin the cycle again. The A/C compressor puts the Freon gas under pressure. This compression raises the temperature of the gas above the ambient air. This happens because the heat that is already present in the gas is concentrated by being pressurized, which also creates more friction between the molecules of Freon, generating even more heat in the process. The air conditioner compressor uses a simple pump mechanism to pressurize the gas.

The engine drives a rotor inside the compressor's pump at high speed and acts like a turbine to draw the Freon into the inlet valve. The compressor holds the compressed gas in a tank until it reaches the necessary pressure before pumping it into the condenser. The engine drives the pump rotor in the compressor directly with a belt and so the compressor needs to be able to be turned on and off on demand. To achieve this, automotive air conditioners use an electromagnetic clutch mechanism to engage the compressor to activate the A/C unit in the cabin. The air conditioner clutch has a friction plate that is adjacent to an electromagnetic coil. When a current runs through this coil it creates a powerful magnetic force towards the friction plate in the clutch. The compressor's rotor has another friction plate attached to it next to the first one and the electromagnetic force draws it towards the friction plate in the clutch which, when engaged drives the pump rotor in the compressor. The friction plates use springs so that they will naturally return to their disengaged positions when the current stops passing through the magnetic coil to switch off the air conditioner.

Constantly spinning a friction plate using power from the motor Produces a magnetic field around the rotor to attract the armature The armature attaches a friction plate magnetically to the rotor plate Directly transfers power to the compressor pump rotor Disengages the armature plate from the clutch rotor to stop the compressor A/C clutch mechanisms control the transfer of power from the engine to the vehicle's air conditioner using only five simple components. Turning on the car air conditioning in the cabin activates the A/C clutch, which in turn drives the compressor to pump refrigerant through the heat transfer cycle. Generally, the A/C clutch rotor is constantly under load and the output hub permanently attaches the armature to the compressor pump rotor. This allows for the minimal amount of slippage while engaging the friction plates and provides excellent torque transfer efficiency. How to Buy an A/C Clutch and Compressor on eBay There are air conditioner components for most makes and models of vehicle available from reliable, verified sellers on eBay who commonly provide convenient and affordable shipping for replacement auto air conditioning component parts.